![]() |
||||||||||||||||||
Things to do in Pismo Beach
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
This page will help you plan your Big Sur visit and should enhance your Big Sur stay; it is not a constantly updated event calendar listing every small band that may have an engagement to play in Big Sur; it is a month by month general description what you might expect it to be like in Big Sur and some of things for you to do when you come. |
||||||||
January in Big Sur, New Year, Clear Skies, Gray Whales Migrate, Elephant Seals Land to Give Birth... |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
![]() Amazing Photograph of Central California Coast Tourists Watching the Elepaht Seals at Piedras Blancas! |
The Northern Elephant Seal, (Mirounga angustirostris) spends eight to ten months a year in the open ocean, diving 1000 to 5000 feet deep up to two hours. The elephant seals of the Big Sur Coast migrate thousands of miles, twice a year and actually spend only a small amount of time on the beach where they can be observed. The best time to view them is early in the year January/March when they are birthing the cute young “pups,” fighting, breeding, and molting, for a month by month breakdown on what elephant seal activities might be viewed check the elephant seal activity calendar . The seals have favored landing spots where the gather every year “called a rookery” all up and the Big Sur Central California Coast but Piedras Blancas rookery, on Highway 1 seven miles north of San Simeon on the California Central Coast is the best place to view them in their natural habitat, it is home to about 15,000 northern elephant seals and there is ample parking and boardwalks with self interpretative tours, docents to answer questions are also often available.
|
MARCH 2012 in Big Sur - March is the time Big Sur generally begins awakening from its winter slumber to welcome spring travelers. The taverns often begin to host live music and through lavish celebrations for Saint Patrick’s Day. The is often exceptionally nice weather but plan your road trip accordingly and remember the days are still short. Layering is really the best dress mode for Big Sur anytime so you can put on or peal as necessary. Hopefully winter rains have started to green the hills now; try to plan your Big Sur road trip to avoid any heavy rains but March can be an excellent time to enjoy some of Big Sur’s beautiful natural waterfalls; the most popular is McWay Falls. APRIL 2012 in Big Sur - In April the rains become less frequent but the streams are running high, clear and deep making April and May prime times to admire some of the Big Sur’s beautiful natural waterfalls. It starts to become obviously spring time when the emerald green coastal hillsides and Santa Lucia Mountain meadows burst with the bright colors of the California poppy and other native wildflowers; while you are taking that short hike to one of Big Sur’s lovely waterfalls keep your eyes open for one of my favorite Big Sur wildflowers, the precious wild iris. Just like the rest of nature wakening from its wintery daze so does the tourist industry. If you like to mountain bike or 4X4 a nice late spring or early summer ride (don’t go after a recent rain, you want the dirt road to be dry but the later it gets the dustier) try the Old Coast Road which runs from the Bixby Bridge to Andrew Molera State Park. Here is a nice map, description, and photos of the trip:Pedal Dam It! Blog report on the old coast Road Ride: www.pedaldamnit.blogspot.com/... |
Books About
|
I have always thought there was something wonderful almost magical about waterfalls and the Big Sur has many beautiful natural waterfalls, some run year round but all are at their very best shortly after the rains, late February/early May. My favorite and most often visited because it is so easy, is Salmon Creek Falls, you can see it from the highway, to get to the base is just a hop skip and a jump. If you are feeling more adventurous and have time for a nice
Pfeiffer Falls |

The area has a very mellow climate and many many microclimates; you will find something in bloom any time of year but springtime is when the wildflower blooms are most pronounced especially after an extremely wet year or fire. Often mid to late March heralds in the first spring blooms like the calla lilies, bright yellow sour grass and wild iris, then usually April and May come a profusion of California Poppies and Lupines. Some more of my favorite Big Sur wildflowers are the Orange Bush Monkey Flower and Blue Eyes; I also love the bright fire-red Indian paintbrush and Lupines come in every shade of blue to deep purple and white to yellow along the Big Sur Coast. Some very contented sometimes welcome sometimes not non-native beautiful flowering plants do so well on the Big Sur coast that they have become wild like, ice plant, pride of Madera, and pampas grass.
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
More Big Sur Wildflower Photos:
MAY 2012 in Big Sur - Take advantage of the brief lull before Memorial Day Weekend and come to Big Sur for the perfect hike or picnic. So officially the tourist season does get started with Memorial Day Weekend and as mentioned there is a brief peaceful lull prior to THE weekend and one short one after too but in June all the kids get out of school and everything starts to get busy. Not to worry, just bring your patience and try not to be in a hurry, come to Big Sur to RELAX. Big Sur tourists are for the most part friendly folk so feel free to mix and mingle and enjoy them too! Be sure to check trail conditions if you are planning a hike or back country camp trip: Ventana Wilderness Website Trail Conditions Reports. JUNE 2012 in Big Sur - Sometime mid-May to June the emerald green grasses of Big Sur turn golden but for a time spring flowers linger and it is truly beautiful and the weather can be marvelous at times but sometimes breezy then the summer fogs begin. The summer fogs play a big role in the Big Sur climate, they water the plants and add a mystical ambiance and can be unbelievably beautiful when viewed from above. If they should really irritate you take a fun road trip a bit inland; the fogs often clear in the afternoon and/or are just confined to the lower elevations of the very edge of the coast. Art Galleries, Big Sur is Famous for it's Art, Artists, and Art Galleries!Big Sur Art Galleries: Big Sur Garden Gallery * Late Brother John’s Metallurgy * Chappellet Studios * Coast Gallery Big Sur * Del Campo Gallery * Hawthorne Gallery * Henry Miller Library * Local Color * The Phoenix at Nepenthe * Sofanya's Dome Studio |
Books About Camping California |
The Big Sur Station ("Ranger Station") (831) 667-2315. On the Pacific Coast Highway 1 mile south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and the Big Sur Lodge; 36° 14.864, -121° 46.906. Big Sur Station is as close to a "visitor center" as Big Sur has. Forestry personnel are available during normal business hours 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM (PST) and have thorough Big Sur knowledge and information to answer your questions about hiking, camping, road conditions and more. At the Nature Store and gift shop you can pick up trail maps, books, posters, and lots of other information and stuff. They also have public restrooms. No public telephones but cell phones work in this area. This is also the location for the trailhead that starts to Sykes Hot Springs.
|
One really fun thing to do near Big Sur especially in the spring is picnic. Not only can picnics be a pleasurable exciting activity but it’s possible to save some money too if you budget doesn’t allow every meal at an expensive Big Sur Restaurant, (also there is no Taco Bell within hundreds of miles of Big Sur). The best picnic spots on the Big Sur Coast are many and the choices are almost endless. I have picnicked along Pacific Coast Highway many times and I will share with you a few of my favorite spots. The best spot to go will depend on the weather and a few other considerations like how big of a picnic you plan. On days when the weather is nice I have had a great picnic sitting on a blanket of one of the scenic turnouts with a good friend, bottle of wine, cheese, cold cuts, and fruit; enjoyable, simple, easy, inexpensive or expensive, however you want. I have also enjoyed a plain brown bag lunch picnic by the sea as well. Here are some of my favorite picnic spots along the PCH 1 starting South moving towards the North: Shamel County Park in Cambria is far from Big Sur but worth mentioning because it has so much to offer as a picnic/outdoor party spot that I must include it, it is next to the beach but protected from the weather by a fence and hedge, has mass picnic tables and group barbecue pit grills as well as small ones, a playground, a gazebo, a community swimming pool, large grassy area and restrooms! * San Simeon Natural Preserve in the Hearst San Simeon State Park has a few picnic tables near a parking lot by beach or if it’s windy and cool cross to the land side of the highway just across the creek from San Simeon Creek Campground there is and area with picnic tables, barbecue grills, running water and restrooms that are protected by a small bluff, all that great picnic stuff is available for free plus a nice disabled accessible self interpretive nature trail/board walk * Hearst Memorial State Beach , an all time favorite picnic spot they have everything required plus a pretty long white sand beach and nearby Sebastian’s General Store * Ragged Point has all required and more, espressos, convince store, million dollar view and nature trail to the beach * Willow Creek Vista Point and Picnic Area * Sand Dollar Beach Picnic Area is excellent, long white sand beach, tables, barbecue grills, almost everything but no close by connivance store so don’t forget the mustard * Mill Creek Day Use Area has similar offerings to Willow Creek, rocky beach access and restrooms * Limekiln State Park has a wonderful picnic spot next to the beach * Lucia has a few nice ocean view bluff-top picnic tables and close supporting connivance store next to some restrooms * Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park has a nice picnic area in the redwoods, tables, water and restrooms * Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park has several nice picnic spots with everything close by * Andrew Molera State Park has a nice picnic area and beach * Point Lobos State Reserve is also a nice daytime park to picnic and play |
Fun Outdoor Games |
|
Scenic Pacific Coast Highway 1 - One of the most fun activities in the area is to drive the scenic Pacific Coast Highway 1; it’s a beautiful fun and interesting drive every mile from San Luis Obispo to Monterey; Popular Mechanics listed it at the top of it’s picks of the 20 Greatest Driving Roads in the World . It is often picked as the scenic alternative to quicker route inland via the 101 Freeway. For current California Highway conditions call 1-800-427-7623, or on the internet you can check California Highway Conditions: PCH 1 and all California Highway Conditions at the California Department of Transportation website Mobile.So if you’re just passing through Big Sur on your way to Monterey or San Luis Obispo here are some event calendar links so you can see what’s going on wherever you are going… Monterey Area Calendars of Events |
![]() |
Fort Hunter Liggett Army Base Visitors Info: Visitors Page from www.liggett.army.mil...
Mission San Antonio de Padua: Mission San Antonio de Padua from Wikipedia.org
6-Mill Creek Beach and Picnic Area: Mill Creek Beach and Picnic Area at Parks Management Company
7-Sand Dollar Beach and Day Use Picnic Area: Sand Dollar Beach at Parks Management Company/u>
8-Jade Cove Rocky Beach, nice coastal bluff hike: Jade Cove Information from HikingInBigSur.com
9-Willow Creek Beach Picnic and Day Use Area: Willow Creek Beach at Parks Management Company'
5-Kirk Creek Campground and Beach: Kirk Creek Campground and Beach at Parks Management
6-Mill Creek Beach and Picnic Area: Mill Creek Beach and Picnic Area at Parks Management Company
7-Sand Dollar Beach and Day Use Picnic Area: Sand Dollar Beach at Parks Management Company
8-Jade Cove Rocky Beach, nice coastal bluff hike: Jade Cove Information from HikingInBigSur.com
9-Willow Creek Beach Picnic and Day Use Area: Willow Creek Beach at Parks Management Company
Closest Airport to Big Sur, Monterey Peninsula Airport: Monterey Peninsula Airport Website
Wonderful Fun, Sights, Sounds Tastes of Monterey Harbor: Monterey's Fisherman's Wharf
Family Fun, Historic, Interesting, Entertaining, Nightlife: Monterey Bay Cannery Row
200 award-winning ocean related galleries and aquatic exhibits: Monterey Bay Aquarium
Unsurpassed Famous Pebble Beach Scenery: 17 Mile Drive
Quaint, Artsy warm, dog friendly: Carmel by the Sea
Carmel place of worship, education, history, art: Mission San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo
Crossroads Shopping Village: Closest Shopping Center to Big Sur: Crossroads Shopping Village
r.g. Burgers: Closest great burger north of Big Sur: r.g. Burgers, Carmel
Closest Reasonable Lodging north of Big Sur: Carmel River Inn
Beautiful white sandy mile long beach and bird sanctuary: Carmel River State Beach
Photography, painting, nature study, picnicking, SCUBA diving: Point Lobos State Reserve
Beautiful Beach and Coastal Hiking Trails: Garrapata State Park
Historic, Scenic, Dramatic Light Station: Point Sur State Historic Park & Lighthouse
Horseback Riding at Andrew Molera State Park and Beach: Molera Horseback Tours
Waterfalls: Custom Google Map of Natural Big Sur Waterfalls: Natural Big Sur Waterfalls
Places to Eat: Google Map of best places to eat near Big Sur Calif: Big Sur Restaurants
I have provided this informatin on this web page to help you have wonderful vacation or trip. I have made this information current, complete and good to the best of my abilities but everything is subject to change at any time and I have to relieve myself of any responsibility for you, I have no control over how you use the provided camping information and accept no liability for anything that happens to you while you visit and camp on the Big Sur Coast or anywhere else.
| Home | Big Sur Lodging | Feature Hotel Lodging | Restaurants, Coffee, Snack Bars | Camping Big Sur |
| Outdoor Activities | Big Sur Weddings | Big Sur Photo Gallery | Website Map | San Simeon Lodging |
![]()